Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District spokeswoman Kristin Courtney said district policy and the school's cheerleading constitution were followed in deciding punishment.

"What we found was that there were a group of girls that had urinated in a cup and enticed others to drink it," she said. "We took it very seriously, and the girls were disciplined and, due to privacy reasons, I can't comment on the specifics."

District officials said at least two girls got in-school suspensions and others received lesser penalties. The number of cheerleaders involved and other details were not released.

The girls will not be allowed to take part in cheerleading events through the end of the school year.

A father whose daughter drank the urine-tainted soda told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the incident happened during a basketball game last winter. The man, who asked that his name not be used, said the offenders should be kicked off the team.

Courtney said the district doesn't take parents' concerns lightly.

"However, our administrators were well within the student code of conduct with this discipline they did decide upon," she said.

Cindy Richardson, the parent of a cheerleader at another high school in the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, said she didn't think the girls should be allowed on the team.

"You have to be able to trust that person that they're going to catch you," she said. "Would you be able to trust somebody if they did that to you? Absolutely not."

Richardson said the punishment is too lenient.

"To tell them that they can't cheer this year, but they can try out for next year? Is that punishment? In my opinion, not," she said.